Thesis (M.IT.)--University of Pretoria, 2006 / Includes summary. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 22, 2007). Directed by Prashant C. Palvia; submitted to the School of Business and Economics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 192-214).

This thesis identifies the unique capabilities that characterise product-oriented vs. service-oriented firms in the software industry. Firms in the software industry have very different business models from other industries. Some firms rely entirely on earning revenue from services provided on an hourly basis, while others build and sell software once and earn revenue from it for years to come. There are even successful firms in the industry with a variety of revenue sources and models resulting from planned or unplanned transitions across orientations. The unique characteristics of this industry offer an opportunity to study the development of organisational capabilities that support contrasting strategic orientations. There is substantial literature on strategic orientations (e.g., Roberts 1990; Lynn et al. 2000; Pelham 2000; Voss and Voss 2000). There is also substantial literature on organisational capabilities (e.g., Nelson and Winter 1982; Leonard-Barton 1992; Day 1994; Teece et al. 1997; Winter 2003; Ethiraj et al. 2005). However, few studies empirically identify organisational capabilities that are developed to support an orientation. This study identifies the capabilities that enable product orientations and service orientations in the software industry. Moreover, the research tests the hypothesis that product orientations and services orientations are distinguished by different organisational capabilities. The study tests this hypothesis by eliciting capabilities and measuring the maturity of these capabilities in different firms. The findings of this study make unique contributions to the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities through further definition of both constructs. This research also utilises a previously untested approach for identifying capabilities. The method approaches the research problem using a two-step approach. The first phase focuses on eliciting the capabilities that characterise both service and product orientations. Interviews with key informants support the elicitation of capabilities. The second phase of the research study involved the collection of data using a survey to validate the existence of and identify the maturity of the capabilities from the first phase. The findings indicate that there are significant differences between productoriented and service-oriented firms, the capabilities that distinguish them and their perspectives on transition between orientations. The key result of the research is the identification of the capabilities that distinguish between software firms of three different orientations: product orientation, service orientation and a hybrid orientation. This research study contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities (e.g., Morgan and Strong 2003; Venkatraman 1989; Duhan et al. 2005; Winter 2000; Teece 2007). The results of the study further define what it means for software firms to have product, service and hybrid orientations, resulting in advancement of these constructs. The approach used to elicit and capture capabilities is novel and contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to capabilities by applying a previously untested methodology. The results of this research are of particular interest to software firms that aspire to build or strengthen a product, service or hybrid orientation.

This thesis identifies the unique capabilities that characterise product-oriented vs. service-oriented firms in the software industry. Firms in the software industry have very different business models from other industries. Some firms rely entirely on earning revenue from services provided on an hourly basis, while others build and sell software once and earn revenue from it for years to come. There are even successful firms in the industry with a variety of revenue sources and models resulting from planned or unplanned transitions across orientations. The unique characteristics of this industry offer an opportunity to study the development of organisational capabilities that support contrasting strategic orientations. There is substantial literature on strategic orientations (e.g., Roberts 1990; Lynn et al. 2000; Pelham 2000; Voss and Voss 2000). There is also substantial literature on organisational capabilities (e.g., Nelson and Winter 1982; Leonard-Barton 1992; Day 1994; Teece et al. 1997; Winter 2003; Ethiraj et al. 2005). However, few studies empirically identify organisational capabilities that are developed to support an orientation. This study identifies the capabilities that enable product orientations and service orientations in the software industry. Moreover, the research tests the hypothesis that product orientations and services orientations are distinguished by different organisational capabilities. The study tests this hypothesis by eliciting capabilities and measuring the maturity of these capabilities in different firms. The findings of this study make unique contributions to the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities through further definition of both constructs. This research also utilises a previously untested approach for identifying capabilities. The method approaches the research problem using a two-step approach. The first phase focuses on eliciting the capabilities that characterise both service and product orientations. Interviews with key informants support the elicitation of capabilities. The second phase of the research study involved the collection of data using a survey to validate the existence of and identify the maturity of the capabilities from the first phase. The findings indicate that there are significant differences between productoriented and service-oriented firms, the capabilities that distinguish them and their perspectives on transition between orientations. The key result of the research is the identification of the capabilities that distinguish between software firms of three different orientations: product orientation, service orientation and a hybrid orientation. This research study contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities (e.g., Morgan and Strong 2003; Venkatraman 1989; Duhan et al. 2005; Winter 2000; Teece 2007). The results of the study further define what it means for software firms to have product, service and hybrid orientations, resulting in advancement of these constructs. The approach used to elicit and capture capabilities is novel and contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to capabilities by applying a previously untested methodology. The results of this research are of particular interest to software firms that aspire to build or strengthen a product, service or hybrid orientation.

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-72). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Context: Internet of things (IoT) technology is rapidly increasing and changes the business environment for a software organization. There is a need to understand what are important factors of business model should a software company focus on obtaining benefits from the potential that IoT offers. This thesis also focuses on finding the impact of IoT on software business model and software industry especially on software development. Objectives: In this thesis, we do research on IoT software business model and also software industry. The objectives of this research are included as follows: 1. Summarize the current business models for IoT and to identify the important factor for IoT business models. 2. Analyze the impact of IoT on software business models. 3. Analyze the impact of IoT on Software development especially on requirement engineering. 4. Provide recommendations how requirements engineering are connected to provide better support business modeling for IoT. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review based on the guidelines suggested by Wohlin, to find the current business model for the IoT. Next, we designed and executed an industrial survey to explore the impact of IoT on a software business model and software development.The results of survey were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test of significance and Friedman test. Results: 21 peer reviewed papers were identified which were analyzed in relation to their rigor and relevance. From the literature reviews, results indicate 9 business model elements are being focused on the IoT business models. In addition to this 4 most important business model factors were identified. On the other hand, the industrial survey resulted from 56 survey responses, identified that value proposition is the most important element for the IoT business model. It was also observed that even the impact is high for the value proposition. Regarding the software development, customer demands is highly impactful and moreover, the results suggest that requirement management is highly impactful. Conclusions: The current software business models were found for the IoT industries. In additional the software business model elements which were majorly focused in the IoT industries were also identified and the most important factor which brings the value for IoT business models were also discussed. Furthermore the impact of IoT on software business model element and software development, especially on the requirement phase, was analyzed and discussed. This helps the practitioners to understand the impact of IoT on software business models and software industry and helps the organization to improve IoT business to its full potential.

Abstract Theoretical discussion concerning value creation has been popular in recent years in business studies, at both relationship and network levels. However, the body of research on value creation still clearly exhibits a dearth of empirical studies, especially at the level of networks. In this study, value-creating networks are empirically explored in a specific dynamic industrial setting, the software component business. The purpose of the research is to build an empirically grounded model that provides the elements that are involved in carrying out value creation processes related to software component business networks. Through the empirically grounded elements of the model and variations identified within them, a typology of value-creating networks related to the software component business is aimed to be provided as an empirical outcome of the study. First, a preliminary model of value-creating networks is built based on theoretical elaboration on the value creation and business network literature. The model is built upon the three interrelated elements of perceived end customer value, core competencies, and relationships. The preliminary model is then applied to the selected industrial setting. Based on the empirical findings, a fourth element is added at the heart of the model, namely the value system router. This fourth element characterise the importance of understanding the role of so-called system architecture in studying value creation and network structures in the software component business. System architecture provides the layered framework for integrating different components and subparts in order to build an effective total system solution for the end customer. System architecture acts as a value system router, as it gathers value streams from several suppliers at different system layers and then leads the value stream through the integration process to the end customer, which sees the system solution provided as being one value-creating entity. Although system architecture is not a new concept or area of consideration in the fields of technology and industrial management, its role both as a rationale for the specific value network structure and as a tool for understanding actor positioning, competence linking, and supplier portfolio management has not been taken into account in earlier studies.

Today, it is common to work with or within projects in most industries. One such business area is the IT and software industry. In this industry you work almost exclusively with projects. However, the industry is very risk-affected and a high number of projects are not completed. This is due to several different risk factors, such as inadequate communication, incompetence or lack of motivation. This study has researched the risks that project managers in the IT and software industry are experiencing and how the project managers proceed to manage these risks. The study was conducted through a qualitative interview study with a total of 8 project managers in this industry. The risks that they experience are prevalent risks related to the structure of the communication in the project, incompetence of the project managers, unmotivated project members and unclear objectives in the project. The handling of the communication risks meant that the project manager often worked out a strategy for communication with involved parties. The respondents did not reveal any specific method for managing risks associated with incompetence. Unmotivated project members were often handled by adaptation to the unmotivated party or through discussions with the specific person. Risks associated with unclear objectives were often handled by adaptation to the affected party or through overtime and more frequent communication within the project and with the customer. / Idag är det vanligt att arbeta med projekt inom de flesta branscher.  Ett sådant verksamhetsområde är IT- och mjukvarubranschen. I denna bransch är projektarbeten centrala i arbetet. Dock är den branschen väldigt riskdrabbad och en hög grad av projekten slutförs ej. Detta beror på flera olika riskfaktorer, exempelvis bristfällig kommunikation, okunskap eller motivation. Denna studie har studerat vilka risker som projektledare inom IT- och mjukvarubranschen upplever är förekommande och hur projektledarna går tillväga i syfte att hantera dessa risker. Studien har genomförts genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie med totalt 8 projektledare som är verksamma inom denna bransch. De risker som de upplever är förekommande är framförallt risker relaterade till formgivningen av kommunikationen i projektet, okunskap hos projektledare, omotiverade projektmedlemmar och otydliga målsättningar i projektet. Hanteringen av kommunikationsriskerna innebar att projektledaren ofta arbetade fram en strategi för kommunikation tillsammans med berörda parter. Någon specifik metod för hantering av risker som är kopplade till okunskap framgick inte av respondenterna. Omotiverade projektmedlemmar hanterades ofta genom anpassning till den omotiverade parten eller genom samtal med berörd part. Risker som var kopplade till otydliga målsättningar hanterades ofta genom anpassning till berörd part eller genom fler arbetade timmar och mer frekvent kommunikation inom projektet eller med kunden.

Abstract Entrepreneurship research is a dynamic field in development. It has long ago moved past analyzing the differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs to trying to understand the activity that an entrepreneur does. Current entrepreneurship research has identified business opportunities and their development as the main focus of entrepreneurship research field. However the creation of new business opportunities is largely not understood and theory which builds on entrepreneurship is still in its initial phases. This study aims to understand the creation of new ventures through a holistic approach, not focusing only on the entrepreneur but also on the industry and society where the venture creation happens. Therefore this study focuses on new venture creation in a software business context. This context was chosen because the economy is moving from a production based economy to a knowledge based economy and software plays a vital role in this change. The research question set forth in this study is: How are new ventures created in the software industry? This study identifies culture, society and entrepreneur as components and actualisation, socialisation and emergence as the processes that affect new venture creation. These components and processes are derived from existing literature of entrepreneurship. Based on these components and processes a research framework is created which is used as the study approaches venture creation through process and case study logics. As a result of this study a model of venture creation in software business was created. The model shows how the dynamic formation of new ventures happens. The model of venture creation identifies components, processes and generative mechanisms of which the latter create the real dynamism in the model. The study showed how entrepreneurs and the creation of new business were tightly integrated into the environment in which the entrepreneurs resided and the people with whom they interacted. The study also showed that venture creation and the development of an entrepreneurial identity do not happen overnight. Rather, they take time to develop, and happen in an evolutionary way. / Tiivistelmä Yrittäjyystutkimus on muuttuva ja kehittyvä tutkimusala. Siinä kiinnostuksen kohde on ajan saatossa muuttunut kohti yrittäjän toiminnan ja muutoksen ymmärtämistä sen sijaan, että analysoitaisiin yrittäjien ja ei-yrittäjien eroja. Yrittäjyystutkimus on tunnistanut tämän hetken tutkimuskohteeksi liiketoimintamahdollisuudet ja niiden kehittymisen. Näiden liiketoimintamahdollisuuksien luomista ei vielä täysin ymmärretä ja yrittäjyyden teorian rakentaminen on alkuvaiheissa. Tässä tutkimuksessa uusien liiketoimintojen luomista pyritään ymmärtämään kokonaisvaltaisen näkemyksen kautta, huomioiden yrittäjän lisäksi teollisuudenalan ja yhteiskunnan jossa liiketoiminnan luominen tapahtuu. Sen vuoksi tutkimuksessa keskitytään uuden liiketoiminnan luomiseen ohjelmistoteollisuudessa. Tämä konteksti valittiin, koska talous on muuttumassa tuotantoperustaisesta taloudesta kohti tietotaloutta ja ohjelmistoilla on merkittävä rooli tässä muutoksessa. Tutkimuskysymyksenä tutkimuksessa on: Miten uusia liiketoimintoja luodaan ohjelmistoteollisuudessa? Tutkimuksessa kulttuuri, yhteiskunta ja yrittäjä tunnistetaan liiketoiminnan luomiseen vaikuttaviksi komponenteiksi ja toteutuminen, sosialisaatio ja syntyminen liiketoiminnan luomiseen vaikuttaviksi prosesseiksi. Nämä komponentit ja prosessit johdettiin aikaisemmasta tutkimuksesta. Näiden komponenttien ja prosessien pohjalta luotiin tutkimuskehikko, jonka avulla tutkimusaineistoa lähestytään prosessi- ja tapaustutkimuksen keinoin. Tutkimuksen tuloksena luodaan ohjelmistoteollisuuteen uuden liiketoiminnan luomisen malli. Malli näyttää miten dynaaminen uuden liiketoiminnan luominen tapahtuu. Mallissa tunnistetaan komponentit, prosessit ja generoivat mekanismit joista viimeksimainitut luovat malliin todellisen dynamiikan. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin miten yrittäjät ja uuden liiketoiminnan luominen ovat tiukasti sidoksissa yrittäjän asuinympäristöön sekä sosiaalisiin suhteisiin. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin että uuden liiketoiminnan luominen ja yrittäjämäisen identiteetin kehittyminen vaativat aikaa kehittyäkseen.

Abstract Research on software business has, so far, mainly concentrated on the software industry. However, software business has recently also been practised outside the software industry, in so-called industrial companies. This research aims at increasing empirical and theoretical understanding of the development of software business in industrial companies, shedding light on why a company not belonging to the software industry starts to do business involving software, how the company goes about starting such business, and how this in turn affects the company. First, past research on the resource-based approach, capability approach, dynamic capability approach and the concept of strategy is reviewed. Based on this review, four processes that hold the potential to give a company (sustained) competitive advantage – picking resources, exploiting resources, applying capabilities and developing capabilities – and three important dimensions of strategy – the objective of strategy, the process of strategy formation, and the focus of strategy – are identified. A conceptual framework for studying the development of software business in industrial companies is developed which encompasses the processes holding the potential for (sustained) competitive advantage and the different dimensions of strategy, as well as the company’s resource, capability and dynamic capability base. Following that, empirical data collected in two internationally operating industrial companies is analyzed with the help of the conceptual framework. As a result of the empirical data analysis, 23 capabilities and several resources important for software business in industrial companies could be identified. Capabilities are categorized according to their use in and applicability to different types of software business. Factors influencing the application, development and improvement of capabilities, as well as different ways of how industrial companies start to do software business, are identified. The conceptual framework is revised by adding the process of developing capabilities further to the processes which hold the potential for competitive advantage, and clarifying the role of dynamic capabilities in the development of software business in industrial companies.